The Parkes netball courts in Baker Street will undergo a facelift next month to the tune of almost $100,000.
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Parkes and District Netball Association have partnered with Parkes Shire Council to deliver world class netball courts for the McGlynn Sporting Complex.
The project will see the eight sealed netball courts resurfaced and remarked to bring them up to the recommended Netball Standards.
Wally Norman, Vice President of the Parkes District Netball Association, said it has taken a few years to get the funds together.
“We’ve been able to do it with the help of our sponsors and it will be a great improvement to the courts,” he said.
“The courts will be blue, the circles red, and the posts and lines will be white, keeping with the Parkes colours of red, white and blue like the Spacemen.
“Parkes Netball thanks Parkes Shire Council and Parkes Sports Council, they have done a lot for us.”
Wally said the timing of the resurfacing works means there will be no mixed netball competition this year.
“We won’t be able to fit it in,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate, but there’s no way around it and it will be up and running again next year.”
Parkes Shire Council Director Works and Services, Ben Howard said with Parkes beginning to emerge as a premier sporting hub, these upgrades are necessary to deliver optimal playing surfaces and improved safety outcomes, and will enable larger netball competitions to be hosted in town.
“The new courts will complement and enhance the existing facilities within the McGlynn sporting precinct,” he said.
Specialist surfacing company, Court Craft will repair the existing cracks and apply three coats of a non-slip, colour treatment over the existing asphalt to produce a shock absorbent, all-weather playing surface.
Council have contributed $64,490 towards the project under the Parkes Town Improvement Vote, with $4,100 delivered under the Northparkes Sports Grants Program, and the remaining $30,900 funded by Parkes and District Netball Association.
Parkes and District Netball Association currently has 300 players registered in the regular weekly competitions.
The courts are currently utilised for the Senior Women's and Mixed Tuesday Night Competition, Saturday Morning Junior Competition, as well as regular weekly training by both local competition and representative players.
This year, Parkes hosted the annual Parkes Netball Carnival and a round of the NSW Schools Cup, played in May, for the second time.